50 Greatest Soap Couples: #7 Cruz & Eden From SANTA BARBARA

STORY:
Eden returned to Santa Barbara in 1984 after a trip to Europe. She had a flirtation with Lionel Lockridge (Nicolas Coster) but it was revealed she had a passionate affair while away with Cruz. Cruz and Eden soon became involved again, much to her father's (C.C. Capwell) chagrin. The couple planned to marry but a fire interrupted their wedding. As a member of the Santa Barbara Police Department, Cruz investigated the death of Eden's brother, Channing, which happened years earlier. When Cruz arrested Eden's mother, Sophia, for the accidental murder, Eden broke off their engagement. When C.C. went into a coma, Eden took over as head of Capwell Enterprises. She worked closely with Kirk Cranston and eventually married him. When Kirk realized how much Eden still loved Cruz he tried several times to murder her, including dumping her in a shark tank. Cruz rescued his true love but by that time he was married to Santana Andrade.

Cruz divorced Santana and reunited with Eden but his ex, Victoria Lane, came to town and Cruz and Eden were torn apart again. After surviving Tori, Elena Nikolas, Cain, and Eden's paralysis, Eden and Cruz were finally married in 1988. Over the next three years, Cruz and Eden dealt with Tori's baby, Eden's rape, the arrival of Robert Barr, Ice, Eden's multiple personalities and more. In 1991 Eden fell off a cliff to her death but she returned to Santa Barbara with a new personality, Suzanne Collier. Eventually she left town. Cruz searched for Eden for months but in 1992 received divorce papers from her ending their marriage.

IMPACT:
SANTA BARBARA never reached the top of the ratings but it was certainly one of the biggest critical and industry darlings for much of its run winning 26 Daytime Emmy Awards. The show also won 18 Soap Opera Digest Awards.

Cruz and Eden were smart and sexy and the actors had magic chemistry together from the very beginning. They were a rare couple that were just as interesting together as they were on their many journeys back together when they were apart. Cruz Castillo was a real soap opera hero, the type of character that is rare these days.

Walker and Martinez both won Emmys for their work in SANTA BARBARA (with 10 total nominations). Among their Digest Award wins was Outstanding Super Couple: Daytime in 1990.

I really think and feel that they deserved at least the TOP FIVE, but I'm happy aniway because we watched them for the last time more than 20 years ago. And today all around the world people used their time to fill the wall of WLS with hundreds of photos of Eden and Cruz to support them in this ranking. For me this is the best of the charts: people from all side of the world has chosen Cruz and Eden. ;)

Yes, Joshua, they should. They had more impact & chemistry than any of those couples. Josh & Reva? Come on! And Steve and Kayla lasted literally for 2 years. That's it. 2 years, unless you count their "return" a few years back. I'm actually relieved that C&E were ranked above all 3 of those couples.

FYI, none of the pairs you named both won Emmys while working together. I was hoping for TOP FIVE as well but I'll settle for 7th....at least until I see the top 6.